The reformer offers all the famous benefits of Pilates including overall strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance. These things, in turn, lead to daily life improvements like better posture, graceful, efficient movement, and for many, relief from pain associated with physical imbalances such as back pain.

The resistance of the pulley and spring system offers more resistance than what you get with just your body weight on a mat. You'll achieve better posture and coordination while getting stronger.

Class Schedule (Subject to Change)

Monday: 11:00 AM & 12:00 PM

Tuesday: 11:00 AM

Wednesday: 11:00 AM & 12:00 PM

Thursday: 11:00 AM

In addition to the class schedule we now offer semi-private classes to students that would like to expand their regimen. This will take place Tuesday and Thursday at noon. Please check the front desk at the Montecito Fitness Center for prices and availability.

Packages of 10 sessions for $120.00 are available for purchase at the Montecito Fitness Center. Credit card or checks payable to SCSHCA accepted only.

Coachella Valley Vector Control will be on property to treat for Red Imported Fire Ants, Friday, March 23, 2018. All common areas and parks will be closed for treatment from March 23 at 7:00 AM and reopen the following day at its normal time.

Coachella Valley Vector Control has provided the following information regarding the treatment product: Control product are water soluble and will render ineffective when in contact with water. Control product are made at a very low dosage, enough to kill an ant and should not harm pets. If you have any pets, please keep them indoors while the technicians are on property for safety precaution.

If you have any questions, please contact the Association’s Facilities Maintenance Department at 760-345-4349 ext. 2401.

Carol Dorler, Nancy Chain, and Pat Rosandich (officers of Games Plus) started to meet with Eric Angle, who headed up the Lifestyle Department, back in January of 2009. We worked with Eric for several months, learning what it would take for us to get a license and start Bingo sessions at Sun City Shadow Hills. Eric, having run bingo at casinos at one time, was extremely instrumental in securing permission from the Board, getting our Bingo license approved by the City of Indio, acquiring equipment & supplies, and train us. Our license was approved on August 5, 2009.

Once we had our license and approval from the Board we could go ahead and start getting ready for our first Bingo session. We had to find volunteers to help us, purchase the paper, buy cash boxes, office supplies (pencils, erasers, sticky pads, paper clips, etc.) daubers, snacks, door prizes, set up a separate bank account just for Bingo, train our volunteers, program the bingo machine, etc. We had some surplus funds in our Games Plus bank account to use as seed money for these purchases.

We have been very fortunate to have Gus Ramirez involved from the start which was Eric’s suggestion. He worked with us to complete our Bingo patterns for several sessions. He designed a computer program that allows us to enter the ball called into the computer. It appears on the big movie screen on a bingo sheet that indicates the pattern we are playing. This let’s folks know what numbers have been called (we do not have a flashboard to light up the numbers). Gus helped us design our flyers and our posters. He is still involved to this day when we require changes or additions to our program.

Behind the Scenes

We need to purchase bingo supplies, snacks, door prizes, make tickets, get change from the bank, make deposits monthly after our sessions, line up our volunteers for each session, keep our flyers out in the rounds, our poster in the lobby, put out a sign the day of bingo to let people know bingo is being held that night, make sure we continue to be on the Sun City web site. The day of bingo we have to get there about an hour before doors open to get ready. We have to put garbage bags out on each table plus the pattern sheets for that night. We count the monies, get all the bingo paper, signs, and snacks/daubers out and set up. Date the tickets and separate raffle tickets for intermission door prizes.

We are allowed to keep a specific amount of the total proceeds for our purchases and charitable contributions. Out of this money we have to purchase our supplies and have been blessed to be able to give contributions to the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission every year. We wanted to support a local community charity and it makes sense to donate to this worthy organization. (It is a requirement of our Bingo license to give to a charity.)

We held our very first Bingo session on March 28, 2010. We had about 120 attendees. Eric was right there to help us and make sure we didn’t make any blunders. He came to our first couple of sessions and then left us on our own; however, he always had an open door if we needed advice. Once the word passed around our numbers continued to grow throughout the last eight years. Currently in full season we have between 150 to 200 people at each session. During non-season it is around 140 to 170 folks. We hold Bingo the first Friday of the month except in July and August when we are dark.

The Bingo players have made this a very “social” event. Our doors open at 5:30 PM and there is usually a line starting around 5:00 PM. They bring tons of food, drinks, and plenty of conversation to the room to share with their friends.

Bingo starts at 6:30. It cost $5 for each pack. There are two special games that cost $3. For only $8 our players have loads of fun. Our payouts depend on how many people come. Our 2 special games are the highest paying and are usually $250 each during the season.

It took us a full year to feel comfortable with what we are doing. We now have it down to a science. We do have a core volunteer group that support us even when they don’t play the game themselves. The only problem we have is getting “new” volunteers to help us out. It becomes difficult to run a session when we don’t have enough people to help. So far, we have made it work and hope to continue to do so.

We are very proud of what we have put together and to bring so much fun to our community once a month. We get a warm fuzzy feeling when people see one of us in the market, drugstore, or mall, and say, “Look there’s the Bingo Lady!”

Story by Rhonda CeccatoPhotos by Sid Weiss

The primary thrust of the Sun City Shadow Hills Veterans Club is to serve our community. Our members, after serving our country, now seek to serve the people where we live.

Programs the Veterans Club Sponsors During the Year

Most of you know about Toys for Tots that has collected over the years a minimum of 1,200 toys each year which in collaboration with the Marine Corp distributes these toys to children in our local area. The collection ends with a Pot Luck Dinner in early December. Shadow Hills High Scholl has provided entertainment for this function.

The Club sponsors a Memorial Day celebration each year with Joint Base 29 Palms providing a Chaplain. Speakers have been both military and civilian. Shadow Hills High School provides members of their ROTC for the flag raising ceremonies.

We also have a Veterans Day Pot Luck dinner which the community is invited to attend. Again, in collaboration with Shadow Hills High School the ROTC provides us with a flag detail.

The Veterans Club was instrumental in placing the flag pole at the Shadows Restaurant.

Veterans, join us the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Cambria Room at the Montecito Clubhouse. We are dark in July and August.

The purpose of this article is to describe the status of the 2017 audit.

On February 23, 2018, the FAC recommended approval to the Board of the draft 2017 audited financial statements. In connection with their written recommendation, FAC advised the Board of certain items including work performed by the Committee as well as significant items included in the 2017 audited financial statements. Both items are described in further detail below.

On February 26, 2018 the Board approved the draft 2017 audited financial statements so that they may be issued by the Auditor for the Association.

Thank you to all the parties involved in this significant accomplishment including:

The Auditor for completing their work as planned.

Tyler Ingle for his dogged determination to provide the Auditor with all the information needed to complete the audit and issue weekly audit status reports to Carey Thompson and FAC to keep us updated.

Associa, DRM and PCM for providing schedules and supporting documents needed by the Auditor to complete the audit.

Troon for providing schedules and supporting documents needed by the Auditor to complete the audit.

Members of the FAC for timely reviews of the drafts of financial statements, notes to the financial statements and supporting working papers and written recommendation to the Board.

The Board for their very timely review and approval of the final draft of the audited financial statements.

Summary of work performed by the Committee for the 2017 reported amounts

Review of unaudited working trial balance

Review of audit adjustments and supporting working papers

Review of audited working trial balance

Review of audited financial statement report groupings schedule

Review of draft audited financial statements

Review of draft notes to audited financial statements

Summary of work performed by the Committee for the 2016 reported amounts

Written recommendation to the Treasurer and Auditor for reclassification of certain 2016 financial statement amounts to be consistent with and adopt the 2017 reporting format

Review of worksheet which reconciles 2016 amounts previously reported in the 2016 audited financial statements with the reclassified amounts for 2016 reported in the 2017 audited financial statement.

Summary of significant items in the 2017 Audited Financial Statements

New for 2017 (and 2016 has been updated to provide comparative amounts):

Balance sheets:

Fund balance, the total operating fund balance at the end of 2017 and 2016 is segmented between its three sub-components including: operating fund balance, chartered clubs fund balance, and property and equipment fund balance.

Assessment revenue received by the HOA in advance of when due is now reported in a separate line item in the balance sheets.

Deferred revenue received by the HOA in advance of when the revenue has been earned is now reported in a separate line item in the balance sheets.

Cash balance in the chartered clubs is reported as a separate line item in the balance sheets vs. being included in the balance sheets category cash and cash equivalents. The cash balance for chartered clubs is equivalent to the chartered clubs fund balance in the balance sheets.

Statements of revenues and expenses:

Chartered club revenues and chartered club expenses are reported as net revenues vs. being “grossed up” (revenues reported on a separate line and expenses on a separate line) as was reported in prior years.

Common area improvement expense is reported as a separate line item in the statements vs. being included in maintenance expense as was reported in prior years.

Notes to the financial statements:

New footnote reporting that certain reclassifications were made to the 2016 balance sheet and expense accounts as further described below.

New footnote on concentration of credit risk including disclosure of surety bond with the Association as a beneficiary for amounts in the operating fund of the Association in a commercial bank above the FDIC insured amount of $250,000.

New footnote on chartered club cash and fund balances at year end as well as total revenues, total expense and excess of revenues over expenses for the years 2017 and 2016.

Certain 2016 amounts reported in the balance sheet and expense accounts have been reclassified to be consistent with the financial reporting adopted for 2017 including:

As noted above, cash balance and fund balance for chartered clubs has been reported as a separate line item in the balance sheets.

As noted above, assessments received in advance has been reported as a separate line item in the balance sheets.

As noted above, deferred revenue has been reported as a separate line item in the balance sheets.

As noted above, chartered club activities revenues and expenses have been reported as a net revenue number in the statements of revenues and expenses. As noted above, a new footnote has been added to report the gross revenues and expenses from these activities as well as the excess of revenues over expenses from these activities.

Depreciation expense on golf carts placed in service in 2016 has been reclassified from “community depreciation expense” to golf department expense on the statements of revenues and expenses and as set forth in the supplementary information, departmental revenue and expenses for golf operations.

Common area improvements expense has been reported as a separate line item in the statements of revenues and expenses; the expense was previously included in “maintenance expense” in the statements of revenues and expenses.

Other

Tyler Ingle, the Controller for the HOA, has prepared a memo and supporting schedules, Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), of the audited financial statements including a review of the financial position as of December 31, 2017 and a review of the results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2017. The MD&A will be posted to the Resident Only Section of the website for the HOA.

Tyler will also post to the Resident Only Section of the website for the HOA the summarized reconciliation of the unaudited financial statements to the audited financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and for the year then ended.

The 2017 audited financial statements will be mailed to the unit owners and will also be posted to the Resident Only Section of the website for the HOA.

The Auditor will prepare and issue a written report with their observations and recommendations for enhancements to internal controls. Tyler will draft a written response for review by the Committee and the Board.

We are excited to be offering a trip to the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna on August 14. We are conducting an informal survey to determine the interest level for this event. The venue requires us to pay for the tickets in advance. If you are interested in attending this magnificent performance contact the Lifestyle desk at (760) 345-4349 ext. 2120 by March 1. We will begin accepting payments on or before March 10.

The Role of Volunteers

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Sun City Shadow Hills Community Association. Without volunteers, the Homeowners Association would not be able to function. At times, being a volunteer is a thankless duty – but it is a necessary one for the good of all the residents and homeowners. Yes, I call it a duty for every homeowner to serve and contribute for the good of Sun City Shadow Hills. Two of the commitments in the Committee Member Code of Conduct for all committee volunteers are to accept and embrace the following:

“Strive at all times to serve the best interests of the Association as a whole, regardless of their personal interests.”

“Use sound judgment to make the best possible business decisions for the Association, taking into consideration all available information, circumstances, and resources.”

These commitments can at times be a difficult task and should not be taken lightly. A volunteer may have conflict within that could make the volunteer feel like he or she is being pulled by a tight rope in two directions. We can have this feeling through life and, at times, it is an internal struggle. What to do? The volunteer must follow the commitments above and make the best decision, with the best information available at the time, for the good of the entire community and not just one’s self or a group. That is all we ask of volunteers, to do what they think best at the time for the majority of homeowners in the community.

Committees serve three purposes. First, they assist the Board in meeting its responsibilities by gathering information and making recommendations. Second, they broaden the community’s input on decisions by serving as a means of gathering residents’ opinions and attitudes. Finally, committees serve as a good source for future Board members.

With the change of the Board there is no better time than now to volunteer your time and effort to serve your community on one of our committees. Many volunteers with different skills are needed. You may have skills from your work, hobby, or life experience that can be beneficial to a committee.

If you cannot serve, then please thank those who volunteer their time and energy to serve on a committee for the betterment of all that call Sun City Shadow Hills their home. Volunteers make the community a better place to live and to enjoy life. Do your part in helping your neighbors and volunteer for a committee.

The following is a list of committees at Sun City Shadow Hills.

Communication Advisory Committee (CAC) (The View)

Design Advisory Committee (DRC)

Facilities Service Advisory Committee (FSAC)

Interior Design Sub Committee (IDSC)

Finance Advisory Committee (FAC)

Reserve/Replacement Fund Sub Committee

Food & Beverage Advisory Committee

Golf Advisory Committee (GAC)

Information Advisory Committee (IAC) (the website)

Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC) (Common area, not golf course)

Safety Advisory Committee (SAC)

Emergency Preparedness Sub Committee (EPSC)

Library Committee

Also, Lifestyle desk volunteer

To volunteer or obtain additional information regarding these committees, please fill out an Advisory Committee Interest Form, available at the HOA office or on the website online (www.scshca.com/committeeinterest).

I have not written a newsletter message to you in three months, and during this time I continued to appreciate what we all have living here in Shadow Hills. I smile at the sunrise, then sit and enjoy the sunset every night if possible with Karla – a moment of time that seems to stand still while we enjoy the most important and sometimes simplest things of life. It is perfect!

The Board election will conclude on March 5 after two months of campaigning on the part of the candidates. Many forums, many speeches, many flyers, and many doorbells, all to show residents who should represent them on the Board. Congratulations to the new members of the Board, and a special thank you to all who volunteered to run.

It is not easy standing in front of 200 people explaining the merits of any question. It will be my hope that we all agree that the election is over, and now is the time for the new Board to work on the matters at hand. Clearly, there is always something that needs to be done.

One of current items is the upcoming vote for the proposed changes to the CC&Rs and By-laws. We anticipate mailing the ballots and documents along with instructions to the residents on March 12. There will be two separate envelopes with the information.

In one envelope you will receive a computer flash drive which will contain all the documents. There will be a red-line version and a clean copy of the changes for both the CC&Rs and By-laws on the flash drive. This was done to save the cost of mailing the entire document to each homeowner (a cost of about $10 per home). Mailing a flash drive with the documents will save more than half that cost.

In a separate envelope you will receive the ballot and the instructions for filling out the ballot. So be looking for two different envelopes.

After many comments from residents, the Board decided to present the following four items for a vote:

Item 1 addresses the bulk of the document. These changes will remove Pulte from the documents where appropriate and will make changes because of new laws with new requirements. Because Pulte is no longer here, it seemed responsible to remove them from the documents wherever possible. The other changes are required because of changes in the law. If item 1 passes, the documents should become clearer without Pulte being listed where applicable, and since we must implement the new law anyway, the documents would reflect that which is required by law.

Item 2 is a vote to remove term limits on committee members. Currently, there is a two-term limit on committee members. Some have felt that some committee members should stay longer if they are willing because of their expertise. You will now vote to remove term limits or leave them in place.

Item 3 is a vote to remove cumulative voting for Board member elections. Currently, the HOA uses cumulative voting every other year in the election process when three candidates are up for election. When only two candidates are up for election, regular voting applies. In regular voting you may not put more than one vote on any one candidate. In cumulative voting you may put more than one vote on any one candidate. This is the difference between the two voting methods.

Item 4 is to change the minimum rental period from 90 days to 45 days.

These are the four items to vote on for the changes to the CC&Rs and By-laws. Hopefully, whoever is President beginning March 5 will hold more Town Hall meetings to explain the changes and how the ballot will work. Please vote so we can conclude this process, which began about three years ago.

I look forward to seeing everyone once again, and I wish the new Board nothing but success. Once again, I reflect on another beautiful day, all the kind people that smile when we meet, and I say to myself, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

This content was republished with permission from Associa Advantage partner, Dunn Edwards Paint. Associa Advantage partners provide savings on household goods and services used by Associa community homeowners and associations. Visit AssociaAdvantage.com to discover savings from Dunn-Edwards and other Advantage partners.

Interested in updating your interior with a little refresh? One way to liven up your home is with a fresh new coat of paint, inside and out! It’s a relatively inexpensive fix to the doldrums. I, personally, like to update my interior walls every four to five years. The colors available now are endless and with a little dramatic wall here or there, you can really make quite a statement using just a little paint.

Dunn Edwards has announced their 2018 Color of the Year…

Drum roll please…Dunn-Edwards®, 2018 Color of the Year, The Green Hour (DET544), draws inspiration from turn-of-the-century Paris, when 5 o’clock became known as “The Green Hour”. A darker shade of gray blue-green, this color embodies the timeless sense of mystery and creative revelry of the era.

Sara McLean, color expert and stylist for Dunn-Edwards, spent months researching global color trends and influences to provide a final Color of the Year selection. Her research revealed that green is trending in all color values — cool greens, warm greens, blackened greens, complex greens, gray-greens and many others. And, more importantly, variations on this color have been trending over recent time — lighter cactus and mint greens, to darker teal and blue-greens, paired with a variety of other hues including the highly popular Millennial pink, rose and deep fuchsia.

So, get out there and update those walls of yours, as you see fit! Your walls will thank you!

Please join us in welcoming our newest Assistant Chief Chris Shaefer as he was sworn in today. Assistant Chief Shaefer began his law enforcement career in 1982 as a police officer for the City of Manteca, California. In 1992 he joined the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms/Explosives Agency. In 2004 Assistant Chief Shaefer was transferred to ATF Headquarters in Washington, D.C. where he served in the Inspection Division until accepting his new position with the Indio Police Department.

Call for Entries Now Open through March 2nd; $5,000 in Prizes to Be Awarded to Winning Artists

The City of Indio’s Public Arts and Historic Preservation Commission invites all professional artists to participate in the 10th Annual Art in the Square Chalk Festival on March 8-11, 2018, in downtown Indio.

Awards for participating professional artists will be: First Place – $2,500; Second Place –

$1,500; and Third Place – $1,000. Professional artists from all original art disciplines are encouraged to apply.

“We’re so pleased to be bringing this family-friendly festival back to Indio for its 10th year,” said William G. Maloney, Public Arts & Historic Preservation Commission Chair. “This event is a great way for professional artists to vie for cash prizes while showcasing their art for those attending this fun weekend filled with chalk art, food and live music.”

Chalk made by Eternity is provided, or professional artists can opt to bring their own chalk. Artists may request the size of their space in advance as part of their application. Chalk art space will be designated on the concrete sidewalks and asphalt surfaces of Miles Avenue between Oasis and Smurr Streets in downtown Indio.

Application forms can be downloaded at www.discoverindio.com/chalkfestival or www.indio.org, and will be accepted through March 2, 2018. There is a $25 fee to apply. Notifications will be sent immediately upon acceptance via U.S. mail, along with a professional artist packet including detailed information about the festival.

Accepted artists must be present all 4 days of the festival, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., regardless of weather. Professional artists will begin their art on Thursday morning, March 8th, and continue throughout the festival. Awards for artists will be announced Sunday afternoon, March 11th, at 1:00 p.m. Professional artists must be 18 years or older to participate.

The 10th Annual Art in the Square Chalk Festival is free to attend, and will include food vendors as well as entertainment.

For more information regarding professional artist applications, contact Mamum Faruque at (760) 541-4252 or mfaruque@indio.org.

The SCSH Desert Gardeners Club recently took a fun field trip to the Gubler Orchid Farm located in Landers. If you’ve never visited the farm, I highly recommend you give it a try, but be sure to wear closed-toed shoes, as NO SANDALS are allowed. Our group of 19 members traveled to the high-desert locale via carpools and were met there by Gubler employees who led us on a very informative tour of their entire operation which has been in the Landers facility since 1975. This family owned and operated orchid farm has been selling their orchids exclusively to Trader Jo’s and Lowe’s for many years.

Their farm is open to the public and you may tour their premises every half-hour during normal business hours. On the day we toured there were over 1700 different varieties on premise, all available for purchase. The ladies there were so helpful and willing to package up our plants for safe passage home, as well as give us hints for the proper care and feeding of our purchased orchids. For more information visit www.gublers.com.

Next, was lunch at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown. Another must visit locale in the high-desert. Pioneertown is an Old West town built as a 1940’s movie set, where The Gene Autry Show was filmed for five years. In 1946, Pioneertown was founded by a group of Hollywood investors, including actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. They dreamed of creating an Old West set that was actually a town worth visiting, with 1880s-style false-front facades but interiors that had stuff for visitors to see and do, too. Up went (from the outside) frontier stables, saloons, and jails; inside, they housed ice cream parlors, bowling alleys, and motels. More than 50 films and television shows were filmed here in the 1940’s and ‘50s.

While location shooting and businesses here have dwindled, you can still see mock gunfights on Mane Street (pun intended). But the most happening place by far is Pappy and Harriet’sPioneertown Palace, with surprisingly good live music (Paul Mc Cartney, Robert Plant and Leon Russell have played here) in a seemingly unlikely setting. This must-see desert find also serves up awesome ribs, plus classic Santa Maria barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

If you haven’t visited Pioneertown, I highly recommend you take the drive to Yucca Valley and find this little gem of a town and while you’re there try Pappy & Harriet’s for a libation or two and come hungry because the servings are hearty!!! For more information visit www.pappyandharriets.com.

Next, the group moved along Highway 62 into Morongo Valley where we visited the Cactus Mart. The Cactus Mart is a plant emporium featuring cacti, succulents, tools, supplies, decor, and more! Travelers from around the world have had the opportunity to experience Cactus Mart as a “go to” destination or as a stopping point during their travels. Some have found the perfect compliment to their landscape. There we met owner, Nicole Holland who personally lead us on a tour of her property. Plants and design are her passion. She loves to help homeowners turn their desert homes into a tiny piece of paradise, all the while using plants conducive to our severe climate. "Working with plants and homeowner's personal style to help them achieve a landscape that is both desert adaptive and functional with their needs." Nicole has worked with all ranges of clientele from high end to DIY and loves each project as her own. For more information visit www.cactusmart.com.

A special shout out goes to Amy Tomlinson for organizing such a fun event for all of us to attend!

The process used by the Committee in the responding to questions asked of the Treasurer, the Controller or the FAC on the financial statements of the HOA

The communication process utilized in responding to questions

History

The Board approved a Board Action Form (BAF) prepared and approved by the Committee in August 2016 recommending the posting of a new position, Controller, for the HOA at their meeting in September 2016. The Committee interviewed candidates in the months of October and November 2016. Associa (PCM) made an offer of employment to Tyler Ingle in December 2016 and he started employment with Associa as Controller for the HOA in January 2017.

Since then, as and when either the Treasurer, the Committee or the Controller receive a question on the audited or unaudited financial statements of the HOA, a process was established and has been utilized in preparing a written response to the question as outlined below.

Process for response

If the question from a unit owner has not been communicated in writing, the unit owner is requested to take the time to write out the question. Upon receipt of the written inquiry, the unit owner is notified in writing that the question has been received and a response will be prepared. The members of the Board of Directors of the HOA are also notified of the question that has been asked. The Controller then reviews the question and reviews the accounting records and financial statements so that he can draft a written response to the unit owner. The Committee and the Treasurer of the HOA review the draft written response and approve any proposed changes to the memo. The written response includes a copy of the question posed by the unit owner in addition to the response.

Communication of response

The final approved written response is then provided to:

The unit owner who asked the question

The members of FAC

The members of the Board of Directors of the HOA

The Communication Manager of the HOA for posting to the HOA website

Timeframe for written response

We endeavor to provide a timely, factual response within two weeks of receipt of the written inquiry. As you may be aware, our Controller and others are quite busy at this time of the year with the annual audit and the goal to have the 2017 audited financial statements issued on or before March 2, 2018. So, if you write out a question at this time, there may be a slight delay in the written response due to the focus on completing the work needed for the issuance of the audited financial statements.

The process used by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC

The criteria utilized by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC

The communication process utilized by the Committee in the evaluation process

The process utilized by the Committee to make a written recommendation to the Board of Directors (Board)

History

I joined the Committee in June 2016 upon approval of the Board and have been Chairman of the Committee since September 2016 upon approval by the Board (Acting Chairman in August 2016). The Committee is authorized to have seven members. Those serving with me on the Committee in order of length of current service are:

Bruce Marley

Fera Mostow

Larry Helseth

Larry Anderson

John Deshaw

Steve Proia

Advisory Committee Interest Forms

Since August 2016 through the date of this article, the Executive Assistant to the General Manager of the HOA have furnished to me twelve (12) Advisory Committee Interest Forms which were completed by individuals expressing an interest in joining FAC.

Process for initial contact with candidate

I then follow up by email with the candidate:

Advising the candidate that I received their Advisory Committee Interest Form

Informing the candidate if there are openings on the Committee

Requesting the candidate to complete and return to me and the HOA management office some specific additional information on a one-page summary of the candidate’s qualities, experience, expertise and service on other Advisory Committees or Chartered Clubs

Upon receipt of the additional information requested from the candidate, I then furnish to the candidate the current Charter and Mission of the Committee approved by the Board and I schedule an interview with the members of the Committee

Criteria for candidates

During the summer of 2016, the Committee developed a list of certain qualities (including diversity and core values), experience and expertise that were desired when interviewing and evaluating candidates for the FAC. The experience and expertise (which is reviewed routinely, at least quarterly) include but is not limited to the following:

Financial background including budgets and forecasts

Fund accounting and financial reporting – not for profit

HOA accounting and financial reporting

Golf course accounting and financial reporting

F&B accounting and financial reporting

Risk management and insurance

Contracts and contract compliance

Treasuring and banking

Cyber security and information technology

Payment card industry (PCI compliance)

Legal background

Income tax background

Research and analysis

Interview of candidates

The members of the FAC interview a candidate for approximately thirty minutes to understand the information that the candidate has provided to the Committee and to learn how the candidate believes they can add value to the Committee. The Committee then discusses the qualities, experience and expertise of the candidate. The Committee develops a consensus on whether the Committee will recommend to the Board that the candidate be added to the Committee. The conclusion of the Committee is documented in the minutes of the FAC meeting which are submitted to the Board monthly.

Communication with candidate

If the Committee has agreed to recommend that the candidate be added to the FAC, I then:

Prepare a Board Action Form (BAF) that is approved by the Committee and sent to the HOA management office for inclusion in the meeting package for the next Board meeting

Attach to the BAF the following items:

Advisory Committee Interest Form completed by the candidate

Summary of candidate’s qualities, experience and expertise together with a summary of FAC member’s qualities, experience and expertise

Advise the candidate in writing that:

The FAC developed a consensus to recommend that the candidate be added to the Committee, subject to Board approval

The FAC has prepared a written recommendation for the candidate to be reviewed by the Board

If the Committee has developed a consensus to not recommend that the candidate be added to FAC, I advise the candidate in writing of that conclusion and the principal reasons for that conclusion.

Board

We understand the Board reviews the BAF’s in Executive Session of a Board meeting. The Board liaison, Carey Thompson, Treasurer then informs me whether or not the Board approved the BAF submitted by the FAC. Upon approval by the Board, I then notify the candidate in writing that they have been approved by the Board to join the FAC.

Results

A big thank you to the FAC members listed above who participate in this process. We have open dialogue to develop a consensus. A bigger thank you to the Committee members for developing a consensus on the candidates that are interviewed to join the Committee. Of the twelve candidates that prepared and submitted Advisory Committee Interest Forms since August 2016: six were recommend by FAC to be added to the Committee and were approved by the Board to join the Committee; five were not recommended by FAC to be added to the Committee; and, one did not fill out the additional information requested by the Committee and therefore was not interviewed.

Steve is the newest volunteer to join the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) as a result of the Board approving the FAC recommendation to add Steve to the FAC at its Board meeting on January 29.

Steve has been a resident of our community since November 2012, commuting to Pasadena to work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on Monday’s and returning to Sun City Shadow Hills (SCSH) at the end of each week until he retired in February of 2015. In his 32 years at JPL, Steve was involved in a broad range of administrative activities and spent the last 5 years as the Lab’s Chief Financial Officer and Director for Business Operations.

Steve spent the last couple of years unwinding from his career, playing golf, spending time with friends, and thoroughly enjoying everything that SCSH has to offer. Steve even met his fiancé, Diane, at a concert on the Shadow Hills driving range and the two will be married in February.

After relaxing for a couple of years, Steve realized he needed more to fill his time than golf. He recently got his Real Estate license and is working for HK Lane part-time. Steve volunteered for the FAC to help the community remain strong for years to come. He believes that his background in finance, contracts, and facilities management is helpful to the committee. In addition, Steve is also a member of the Board of Directors for a Credit Union with assets of $1.6 billon.

Steve has already attended the FAC special meeting on December 27, 2017 as well as the FAC regular meeting on January 19.

Introductory price $20.00 per person/ receive a 15% OFF a bottle of wine coupon for Shadows Restaurant. To sign up visit Montecito fitness center.

Vino & Vinyasa a “Journey of the Senses” We will utilize conscious breathing, yoga principles and poses to relax the mind and body, stimulate blood flow, reduce/release stress and combine this with the craft of wine tasting of different wines using one’s pallet, and engaging our senses to receive and create a meaningful and spiritual experience.

Tai Chi & Aqua Tai Chi with Dr. Haberkorn

Help me welcome Dr. Haberkorn to the Sun City Family; and listen to the podcast interview we did with him two weeks ago. Accessible through the website.

Starting February, he will be teaching “Sun Tai Chi” every Wednesday at 5:30 PM in the Montecito Fitness Center. As well as “Aqua Tai Chi” two Saturdays a month in the indoor pool at 10:00 AM.

The dates for February are the 3rd & 17th, the future dates will be posted on the group exercise schedule.

Weekend classes

Happy to announce we are now offering weekend classes, in addition to Dr. Haberkorn’s “Aqua Tai Chi” there will be Saturday morning classes at Santa Rosa Fitness; Mat sculpt (a combination of mat pilates and strength) at 8:00 AM as well as Yoga at 9:00 AM both classes with Chanel

New Pilates Reformers

They have arrived!!! Thank you to all the reformer Pilates participants for your patience, we now have nine brand new reformers, boxes and all the accessories to enjoy a state of the art class conducted by our certified instructors Robyn and Chanel. Our classes will now allow for one more person to join in. packages of 10 for $120.00 are now being sold. Stop by at Montecito Fitness desk for details and availability.

Shadow Hills Resident Privacy Options and HOA Communications

The intent of this article is to clarify how you can manage your personal information on file with the HOA. Included in this discussion is a description of the information on-file with the HOA, the Opt-Out form, the Announcement by Email Request form and how you can use these forms to allow or restrict the release of your information to other Shadow Hills Homeowners.

Sun City Shadow Hills HOA maintains a membership list which includes the names, property addresses, mailing addresses and, in some cases, email addresses of its residents. The HOA is required by law (the Davis Stirling Act) to provide this list (excluding only those residents who have specifically requested in writing to have their information kept private) to any resident that requests it.

If you are okay with allowing your information to be released to other homeowners, you do not need to take any action. To keep all your information private, you must complete the current Opt-Out form approved by the HOA Board on 12/18/2017. This form will be emailed to all members that have an email address on file with the HOA. It is also available at the HOA office and online at www.scshca.com (go to Residents Only section, then Documents / Association Documents / Electronic Communication Consent - Membership List “Opt-Out” Form). The Opt-Out form removes your name and all the information named above from the public Membership List provided to anyone making a request.

The Opt-Out form does not exclude you from receiving any of the HOA communications including Association email blasts, general announcements and notices to members, event information and emergency announcements. If you want to receive these communications, you need to complete the Announcement by Email Request form (see the SCSH website Residents Only section under Documents / Association Documents / Electronic Communication Consent - Announcements by Email Request Form).

Since the Opt-Out form has been recently updated we encourage all who want to keep their Shadow Hills Membership List information private to complete the new form.

I hope this information is helpful. The HOA staff is available to answer any questions you may have regarding the Membership List Opt-Out form and the Announcement by Email Request form.

This is my last article for The View as a Board member. Since I am retiring from the Board, I wanted to take this time to thank everyone for the privilege of serving our community as a member of this HOA Board.

I have, over these past four years, served on this board with John Council, Greg Middlebrook, Stu Stryker, Jerry Cavoretto, Carey Thompson, Barbara Stocky, Vicki Berg, Kim Fuller, Erica Hedlund, and Agi Kessler along with the dozens of wonderful volunteers that staff our various advisory committees. Together we have tried to move this community forward in these ways:

Approving a website where all information can be located by the click of a mouse. Formerly we requested the documents in writing and, 30 days later, you could get a hard copy, but you paid for the copies. Now, you can pull up the documents and print or not at your leisure. This includes our financial statements, Board minutes, committee minutes, governing documents, club information, etc.

At its meetings, the Board must handle corporate business, so comments need to be limited to three minutes. I started “Meet a Board Member” four years ago where two Board members meet every month with residents for an informal chat about the community and issues that are on their minds.

Board meetings are videotaped so that, if residents are unable to attend, they can still stay informed about what is going on in the community.

The community wanted more pickleball courts, and so the Board installed pickleball courts in Phase 3.

Residents had to wait outside the HOA office, as there was no room inside. Also, the community needed another meeting room. These items were both accomplished by expanding the HOA office.

We approved the expansion of tools for the community to get information. You now have the website, podcasts, flyers, smart TVs, cell phone apps, and weekly email blasts. You can also ask questions through the website’s “Ask a Question” or by emailing a Board member.

Before Pulte left the community, the Transition Ad Hoc Committee and the Board considered the remaining items needing review and were able to attain$300,000 to offset any potential issues that may arise in the future.

We have implemented a new slurry process that looks darker and lasts twice as long as the previous method.

Working with the landscape committee, we were reimbursed 100 percent for the areas where we removed turf and implemented desert landscaping. This improves the look of the community and saves us water.

Working with Pulte, we attained a$1,000,000 maintenance building and a second dog park.

We contracted with Troon to run our golf course and food and beverage operations, which resulted in significant improvement and a reduction in subsidies.

Once Phase 3 was completed, residents needed more space around the Santa Rosa pool. The Board expanded the pool area over a year ago.

The Board approved a Golf Master Plan to repair and remodel some of the areas of the South Course to make it more appealing and – hopefully reduce subsidies as time goes by.

The Board approved moving our Emergency Preparedness Committee as a sub-committee of our Safety Committee, and Jeff Kirkpatrick has been working hundreds of hours to get our command center organized and stocked with necessary supplies to help in a disaster. Jeff is also conducting monthly emergency preparedness seminars, free of charge, to show us how to be better prepared in case of a major flood, fire, earthquake, etc.

And the list goes on. As the community moves forward, I am excited to see the great things that will come for all of you.

Thank you again for the honor to serve you, and may God bless this community.

Featured Podcast

This week we are happy to share the podcast interview we did with Chris Montgomery, another one of our five approved personal trainers. Chris has been working as a personal trainer for over ten years, and over the last three years he has been devoting his education to the body’s fascial system (connective tissue of […]